1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to waste disposal equipment and more specifically relates to a toilet designed to conserve water.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Disposal of human waste is an increasing problem. The modern toilet, unfortunately, requires a large amount of water to operate. This water is required to: (i) remove the waste from the bowl of the toilet and (ii) flush the waste down through the domestic sewer system into sewer mains. Those skilled in the art have long known that a relatively small amount of water will suffice to flush the wastes out of the toilet bowl. Most of the water used by conventional toilets eral types of toilets designed to conserve water. One such system is a recirculating toilet. This device conserves flush water by separating solid waste from waste water, sterilizing or filtering the waste water, then recycling the water to use again as flush media. Examples of such systems may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,115,876, issued to Cole, Jr., et al. on Sept. 26, 1978; 3,673,614 issued to Claunch on July 4, 1972; 3,974,528 issued to Claunch on Aug. 17, 1976; 1,303,358 issued to Montgomery on May 13, 1919; and 4,063,315 issued to Carolan et al. on Dec. 20, 1977. Unfortunately, recirculating toilets have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive and complicated compared to ordinary flush toilets. Further, they may require the periodic addition of chemicals and other maintenance.
Other toilets designed to conserve flush liquids use a vacuum system to assist movement of waste products out of the toilet and through plumbing. Such toilets are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,063,315 issued to Carolan, et al. on Dec. 20, 1977; 4,120,312 issued to Michael on Oct. 17, 1978; and 3,629,099 issued to Gahmberg on Dec. 21, 1971. One drawback of these systems is that they require a vacuum source, i.e., installation of an additional apparatus for generating a vacuum must be available.
A gravity sewage disposal apparatus conserves water by utilizing waste water from other drains (such as shower or lavatory drains) to wash excreta from a holding area into the sewer main is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,976 issued to Miya on Oct. 29, 1974. This device uses no fresh water or other liquids to rinse waste products from the toilet bowl. Rather, when flushed, Miya uses a foam to move excreta away from the toilet bowl to a trap. A tilting basin fills with water from other drains and tilts at a predetermined level, spilling its contents into the trap and flushing wastes down a sewer line. This system has the disadvantge of needing a special foam to combat odor and move the excreta into a trap.
Some elements of the present invention are old. For example, holding tanks for temporarily storing raw waste are old. Timer operated valves for controlling both the flow of the flush medium into the toilet bowl and the outflow of waste from the toilet to the holding tank are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,315 issued to Carolan, et al. on Dec. 20, 1977. A valve for discharging waste into the sewer pipe operated in part by gravity is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,099 issued to Galmberg on Dec. 21, 1971. However, the Galmberg device requires a vacuum to assist in the operation of the valve.